Coreopsis plant named &#39;PROMON&#39;

ABSTRACT

The present  Coreopsis  variety was created during a controlled plant breeding program. A compact and bushy growth habit is displayed. Attractive, yellow daisy-type inflorescences with a burgundy eye zone particularly during cooler growing conditions are formed. The dark green foliage coloration contrasts nicely with the blossom coloration. Excellent resistance to powdery mildew has been displayed during observations to date. The plant is a perennial and has been observed to be hardy to at least U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No. 5. The plant can be grown to advantage as attractive ornamentation in parks, gardens, and residential settings.

Botanical/commercial classification: Coreopsis hybrida/Tickseed Plant.

Varietal denomination: cv. Promon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of Coreopsis sometimes bear a common name such as Tickseed, andare recognized to be ornamental herbaceous plants for landscape orcontainer uses.

The new variety of Coreopsis hybrid was created from an ongoingcontrolled breeding program in 2010 in Hubbardston, Mass., U.S.A. Theobjective of the breeding program was to develop new varieties havingsuperior attributes that are long-lived, exhibit a perennial habit to atleast U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No. 5, and display an array of attractiveflower colorations and plant forms. The female parent (i.e., the seedparent) of the new variety was an unnamed, unreleased, and non-patentedCoreopsis plant designed Q2 09-7. Pollen used for the cross was pooledfrom a mixture of unnamed, unreleased, and non-patented Coreopsis plantsthat displayed limited fertility with the formation of a limitedquantity of pollen. The exact male parent that contributed to the originof the new variety is unknown.

It was found that the new Coreopsis plant displays the followingcombination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) displays a compact and bushy growth habit,    -   (b) displays attractive bright yellow flowers with a burgundy        eye zone particularly during cooler growing conditions,    -   (c) exhibits excellent resistance to powdery mildew, and    -   (d) is hardy to at least U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No. 5.

The expressed combination of characteristics enables the new cultivar tobe readily distinguished from the ‘Full Moon’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 19,364) which also forms large clear yellow flowers. However, unlikethe ‘Full Moon’ variety, the new variety displays a burgundy flower eyezone under cooler growing conditions, a more compact growth habit, andbetter resists mildew.

The new variety can be grown in the ground or in a container to provideattractive ornamentation in parks, gardens, and residential settings.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety in a controlled environment bythe rooting of vegetative cuttings has been conducted at West Grove,Pa., U.S.A. It has been demonstrated that the combination ofcharacteristics of the new variety is firmly fixed and is well retainedin succeeding generations. Accordingly, the new variety can be asexuallyreproduced in a true-to-type manner. The new variety also can beasexually propagated by division.

The new cultivar has been named ‘Promon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates a typical flowering plant of thenew variety at an age of approximately two years. The plant had beenasexually reproduced by the use of vegetative cuttings and was growingoutdoors on its own roots in the ground in full sun during June at WestGrove, Pa., U.S.A. The attractive yellow (with some burgundy at the eyezone) blossoms combined with a compact and bushy growth habit are shown.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors described herein isthe R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London,England (1995 Edition or equivalent). The plants had been asexuallyreproduced by the rooting of vegetative cuttings, were approximately oneyear of age, and were observed during June while growing outdoors in theground in full sun at West Grove, Pa., U.S.A.

-   Botanical classification: Coreopsis hybrida.-   Cultivar: Promon.-   Plant:    -   -   Habit.—vigorous herbaceous perennial, compact and bushy,            clump-forming with study stems and an upright and spreading            canopy.        -   Height.—approximately 30 to 45 cm on average. This compares            to approximately 70 to 75 cm on average for the ‘Full Moon’            variety.        -   Width.—approximately 50 to 70 cm on average. This compares            to approximately 100 cm on average for the ‘Full Moon’            variety.        -   Branching.—highly branched, commonly with approximately 9            basal branches on average and approximately 20 secondary            branches on average.        -   Branch internodes.—arise opposite at nodes, variable, and            typically approximately 3 cm in length.        -   Stem shape.—substantially round and wiry.        -   Stem length.—main stems commonly are approximately 15 cm in            length on average with laterals of approximately 7 cm in            length (excluding peduncles).        -   Stem diameter.—main stems commonly are approximately 6 mm in            diameter on average.        -   Stem texture.—smooth.        -   Stem color.—near Green Group 137A.        -   Roots.—Fibrous, fine, and well branched.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—opposite, single, sessile.        -   Configuration.—simple with trifid upper leaves, narrow            lanceolate.        -   Length.—variable, up to approximately 10 cm in length for            entire leaves, and up to approximately 7 cm in length for            trifid leaves, secondary lobes commonly average            approximately 5 cm in length on average.        -   Width.—variable, and up to 10 mm in width for entire leaves,            and up to approximately 3 cm in width for trifid leaves,            secondary lobes commonly average approximately 5 mm in width            on average.        -   Apex.—acute.        -   Base.—attenuate.        -   Margin.—entire with short pubescence.        -   Texture.—very finely pubescent on the upper and under            surfaces.        -   Venation.—non-conspicuous, pinnate, and of substantially the            same coloration as the foliage on both surfaces.        -   Color.—young leaves: near Green Group 137A on the upper            surface, and near Green Group 137B on the under surface. —            mature leaves: near Green Group 137A on the upper surface,            and near Green Group 137B on the under surface.-   Flower description:    -   -   Quantity.—when grown in a one-gallon container commonly 75            flowers are displayed at a time.        -   Bud shape.—generally spherical.        -   Bud size.—approximately 5 mm in length and diameter on            average.        -   Bud color.—Grey-Brown Group 199C, and covered with bracts of            Yellow-Green Group 147B.        -   Flower appearance.—large daisy-type composite inflorescence            form with elongated oblong-shaped ray florets and disc            florets at the center forming a radiant head. Inflorescences            are borne on terminals arising from leaf axils.        -   Lastingness.—commonly approximately one week until            senescence of ray florets while disc florets and bracts tend            to be persistent.        -   Flowering response.—under normal conditions, plants flower            from June to August in southeastern Pennsylvania, U.S.A.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—commonly up to about 6.3 cm on            average when fully open.        -   Inflorescence depth.—commonly up to approximately 1.2 cm on            average when open.        -   Disc.—commonly up to approximately 1.3 cm in diameter on            average.        -   Fragrance.—slightly acrid when crushed.        -   Ray florets.—aspect held slightly cupped upward when opening            and becoming nearly horizontal at maturity. — shape: broadly            oblanceolate. — length: approximately 2.7 cm on average. —            width: approximately 1.8 cm on average. — apex: broadly            acute. — base: cuneate. — margin: emarginated with three            notches. — texture: smooth, velvety on both surfaces, and            sterile. — number: approximately eight arranged in a single            whorl. — color: on the upper surface when opening and when            mature near Yellow Green-Yellow Group 1A, and on the under            surface when opening and when mature near Green-Yellow Group            1B.        -   Disc florets.—arrangement: massed at the center of the            inflorescence. — shape: tubular, fused at the base, and            flared at the apex. — length: commonly approximately 8 mm on            average. — width: commonly approximately 1.1 mm on average            at the base. — color: primarily near Greyed-Orange Group            163B when immature, near Yellow Group 5C when fully open,            becoming Greyed-Orange Group 165B when dried as the ray            florets drop. The base is near Yellow Group 5C with a flared            portion of near Yellow Group 5A.        -   Reproductive organs.—location: androecium and gynoecium            present only among disc florets. — stamen number: five per            floret fused into a tube surrounding the style. — anther            size: approximately 3 mm in length on average and            approximately 0.4 mm in width on average. — anther color:            near Greyed-Orange Group 165B. — pollen quantity: moderately            produced during observations to date. — pistil number: one            per floret. — pistil length: approximately 6 mm on average.            — style appearance: very fine. — style color: near            Yellow-Green Group 154D and somewhat translucent. — stigma            shape: bifid and pilose, with recurved branches            approximately 1 mm in length. — stigma color: commonly near            Yellow-Orange Group 17A. — ovary size: commonly            approximately 1.5 mm in length on average, and approximately            1 mm in width on average. — ovary color: near Yellow-Green            Group 154D. — receptacle size: approximately 8 mm in length            on average and approximately 1.2 cm in diameter on average.            — receptacle color: near Yellow-Green Group 154D. —            seeds/fruit: none encountered during observation to date.        -   Involucral bracts.—number: commonly in two rows of eight. —            arrangement: the outer bracts are unfused and somewhat            reflexed when the flower is fully open and becoming            substantially horizontal after the ray florets drop. The            inner bracts surround the receptacle in a campanulate form            with the apical portion unfused and spreading and held close            to the ray florets. — shape: entire on the inner and outer            bracts. — size: outer bracts commonly up to 5 mm in length            and 3 mm in width at the widest point, and inner bracts            approximately 1 cm in length and 5 mm in width with a free            portion approximately 5 mm in length and approximately 3 mm            in width. — apex: acute on the inner and outer bracts. —            texture: somewhat waxy on the inner bracts and the outer            bracts are smooth and covered with short pubescence. —            margins: entire on the inner and outer bracts. — color:            outer bracts are near Green Group 137B on both surfaces, the            fused portion of the inner bracts is near Yellow-Green Group            148A, the unfused portion of the inner bracts is near            Yellow-Green Group 152B on both surfaces, and the center,            apex and margin are near Yellow-Green Group 152B.        -   Peduncles.—strength: relatively strong. — size: commonly            approximately 11 cm in length on average, and approximately            2 mm in diameter on average. — texture: glabrous. — color:            commonly near Green Group 137B.-   Disease resistance: Excellent with respect to powdery mildew during    observations to date. The ‘Full Moon’ variety has been observed to    exhibit a lesser resistance to powdery mildew under the same growing    conditions.-   Hardiness: Hardy to at least U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No. 5 during    observations to date.-   Propagation: Through the rooting of vegetative cuttings, or by    division. Plants of the new ‘Promon’ variety have not been observed    under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it    is possible that the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with    changes in light intensity and duration, cultural practices, and    other environmental conditions.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Coreopsis plant having the followingcombination of characteristics: (a) displays a compact and bushy growthhabit, (b) displays attractive bright yellow flowers with a burgundy eyezone particularly during cooler growing conditions, (c) exhibitsexcellent resistance to powdery mildew, and (d) is hardy to at leastU.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No. 5; substantially as illustrated anddescribed.